It was the much-anticipated fixture between two top European teams who share so much history between them. The pre-season actions are getting more interesting for the teams and the Rakuten cup even made it more interesting and exciting, to create a more competitive feeling for both teams and the fans.
Chelsea are in their 4th match action of pre-season, and they are really having a great pre-season campaign so far. Their second win this pre-season and are showing amazing progress in terms of fitness levels and performances. Frank Lampard will be pleased with his team on how they performed against Barcelona, some of the individual performances and the application of certain tactical instructions.
Christian Pulisic got his first start as a Chelsea player and a lot of persons will agree that he did really well. An exciting talent he is and will surely shine at the club once he fully settles in the team.
Barcelona, on the other hand, are just beginning their first pre-season match actions and this game against Chelsea was a great game for them to get up to speed as they prepare for the new season. They were without some of their key players like Messi and Suarez who were involved in the Copa America tournament but some of the younger players really impressed and showed the manager what they can offer to this Barca team.
Antoine Griezmann got his first game as a Barcelona player, had a decent game with his new teammates. Lots of improvements need to be done, however, we all know what he is capable of once he hits the ground running in this Barca side.
Brief Post-Match Analyses
It was a great atmosphere at the Saitama Stadium, with lots of fans present to witness an exciting fixture.
Chelsea lined up in a 4-2-3-1 formation they have used quite a number of times this pre-season while Barcelona opted for a 4-3-3 formation. The game began and Barcelona immediate took control in the opening minutes of the game, passing the ball nicely and trying to make things happen. Chelsea slowly got themselves into the game and began to make the mark in the game and eventually took charge of the later stages of the first half, getting the deserved lead as a result of their resolute high-intensity pressing. At the end, a 2-1 win was enough for the Blues to claim the Rakuten cup as they head back home to London to prepare for their next pre-season match action.
Tammy Abraham gave Chelsea the lead in the 34th minute, capitalizing on the Barcelona defensive mistake to beautifully round the goalkeeper to slot the ball into an empty net.
Ross Barkley doubled the lead for Chelsea in the 81st minute, receiving a pass from Alonso before firing in a medium-range shot outside the box to beat the goalkeeper at his near post.
Ivan Rakitic got a goal back for Barcelona in extra time, a typical Rakitic long-range goal to give the Barcelona fans something to cheer about.
It was a great and entertaining game, both teams played some good football as they continue their preparations for next season. A very good win for Chelsea against their European rivals which could go a long way in boosting the confidence in some of the younger players. This post can also be found on my scorum blog
What do you think of this match?
